Only You
by maggs.x3
Summary: The heir to the Montez throne is betrothed to one of Great Britain's wealthiest bachelor's, but a certain blue-eyed boy of lesser status than he has captured her heart. Troyella.
1. Chapter 1

**Only You **

**A/N: **This is my first story on this account, and I'm hoping it's a good first impression. There are, of course, a few things you should know before you read: 1.) I do not own HSM, obviously. 2.) I couldn't come up with a good name for the country that the Montez family rules, so if you have any ideas, **please **lend them to me. 3.) I have nothing against British people, however, for this story, Gabriella finds those that she is aquainted with snobby. 4.) I do not have a beta, nor do I really care to have one, so please excuse any mistakes and typos. 5.) This is probably not the most original idea in the world, but I was reading a book and was inspired. It's a mixture of modern day and an earlier century culture to make it more interesting, so many things may not seem to fit the time period, but I'm sure you'll all be able to decipher the differences. I think that's it, so enjoy the story!

Summary: The heir to the Montez throne is betrothed to one of Great Britain's wealthiest bachelor's, but a certain blue-eyed boy of lesser status than he has captured her heart. Troyella.

_Chapter One: How I Wish You Were Mine _

Gabriella's POV

I'm not one to complain (or use profanity), but damn those rich British people are snobby. I've met nicer _strangers _than my "one and only", as I'm subjected to call him: Sir Callum Francis Bostwick, of Wales. Don't get me wrong, he is extrordinarily handsome, but on the rare occasion that he actually brings himself to speak to me, everything is all about him. His beliefs, his fortune, his opinions on what I do and don't do. Callum was nice when I first met him, when my father announced that we were to be married. He even brought me a broach from his great-grandmother, a very celebrated and important tradition in his family. Now that our wedding is approaching, he has been very selective with his thoughts around me. It's as if he is marrying me to gain my royal status. He's not the type of man I would have chosen to marry, but by law, my father must choose for me. No, he's not the man I would have chosen at all. I would have chosen someone more...more like...more like Troy Bolton.

Troy Alexander Bolton, my father's horse keeper.

Troy Alexander Bolton, the man my father would strongly disapprove of me loving.

Troy Alexander Bolton, my one true love.

* * *

"Miss Gabriella, I do believe you look even more beautiful than ever tonight," Lyla whispered in a hushed tone as she adjusted the hem of Gabriella's dress on the night of her eighteenth birthday celebration.

"Thank you, Lyla, darling," Gabriella replied, smiling warmly at her. Lyla was Gabriella's servant. She was also her best friend. They had been friends since they were seven years old, and now that they were older, Lyla was obliged to be a servant to the young heir to the Montez throne. "You're very kind."

"Miss Gabriella, may I give you your present before the party?" Lyla asked timidly. It was rude in their culture to ask a favor of your mistress. However, such a question wasn't truly considered a favor in Gabriella's eyes.

"Of course you may, Lyla. You needn't ask such a question."

Flustered, Lyla reached into the pocket of her own dress and pulled out a small box. "I'm sorry, it's not much. I couldn't afford anything more than this," she said quickly, apologetically.

Gabriella excused the question with a flick of her wrist and gently untied the pink ribbon from the box. She lifted the lid and stared at the small, sparkling crystal unicorn that lay on a bed of cotton. She gasped in delight. "Lyla, this is the figurine we saw on our trip to the city! How did you get it without my seeing?"

Lyla blushed and replied, "Well, while you were waiting for me to use the ladies' room, I bought it. I knew you'd love it."

"Of course I love it," Gabriella replied. "It's the perfect gift. Thank you."

Lyla's head snapped up when she heard the words of thanks flow from Gabriella's lips. It was rare for the mistress to thank her servant. "Why, you're welcome, Miss Gabriella. Now come, I can't let you be late to your own party."

Gabriella smiled and followed her friend toward the Grand Staircase to begin the party.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Miss Gabriella," was the chorus that was heard throughout the Ballroom of the Montez Mansion, formerly known as the Montez Castle. Gabriella finally stepped to the main floor of the room. She waved and blew kisses to her guests.

"Thank you, everyone," she said in her most grown-up voice. She had to sound like a true Princess, someone who wanted to take on the throne at the passing of her father and mother. "You are all very kind to show up." She stepped up to her first guest of the evening, the Grand Duchess of Wales. "Thank you for taking time out of your precious schedule to attend my party, Ma'am," she said shyly. She had always looked up to the woman that stood before her, but she'd been afraid to mention this fact to anyone but Lyla.

"You're welcome, dear one," the Grand Duchess replied. She kissed Gabriella's cheek gently. "You're going to make a wonderful Queen someday."

"Thank you," Gabriella said again before moving down the line of guests. She was required to greet and thank each one. All seven-hundred and twelve of them. She sighed. This would be a long night.

* * *

Finally, _finally_, the evening was over, and Gabriella curtly took a seat on one of the many chairs that were strewn about the Ballroom. She fidgeted nervously with the frills on her dress as she waited for her final guest to arrive. The guest she had wished for most throughout the evening hadn't been permitted to attend the party because he was the horse keeper. She had asked him to please come to the Ballroom as soon as the last of the royal guests had gone, and as soon as he was sure that everyone in the house was asleep. He had promised to do so, and so she sat, waiting for him to come through the door.

She heard footsteps and looked up, her hopes rising with her eyes. When she saw the man who'd walked in, her heart fell to her stomach. "Gabriella," the man said, his voice husky. "I have been waiting for us to be alone."

"Callum," she acknowledged his presence. "Is there something you need?"

"I was hoping for a dance with my future Queen," he replied with a shrug. "Why else would I come after everyone else has departed?"

"Callum, I am very tired tonight. I don't feel like dancing." To herself, she thought, _especially not with you_. "Could we dance at a later date? Like on our wedding day?" She looked down in thought. "I mean, I want our first real dance to be on our wedding day," she added quickly. She didn't want to make it obvious that she'd rather dance with another man. Her father would have Troy banned from the Montez property if he found out, and so she must keep their relationship very secretive.

Callum nodded gruffly and turned to leave the room. "Of course," he said. "Of course, our first dance will be in bed," he murmured.

Gabriella's face flushed bright red and she swallowed hard. She knew that she must sleep with him as soon as they were married, but she preferred not to think of it any too soon. "Goodnight," she called after him, hopefully loudly enough to signal that the coast was clear for Troy.

Sure enough, as soon as Callum's horse could be heard galloping away, Troy's footsteps entered the Ballroom. "Gabriella?" he whispered.

"Troy?" she called into the darkness. She watched anxiously as his figure approached her. "Oh, Troy," she exclaimed quietly as she ran into his arms. "Oh, how I've missed you." He'd picked her up and was spinning her in a circle at this point, and she leaned up to kiss him tenderly and passionately. "I love you." This last sentence was whispered in a hushed tone.

"I love you, too, Gabriella," the twenty-five year old man whispered into her ear. The small bits of rough stubble on his face rubbed against the side of her face as she nuzzled it into the crook of his neck. "So very much. Happy Birthday."

She smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I'm at my happiest when I'm with you," she said.

"As am I when I'm with you," he replied. He smiled at her and kissed her cheek softly. "Would you like your present?"

"You got me a present?" she asked, surprised. "I thought you were my present."

"Of course not, Miss Gabriella." With one hand, he grasped her hand, turning it over and prying her fingers open so that he could place her gift inside. He pulled something small from his pocket with his other hand and pressed the small gold chain into her palm. She looked down at the small heart-shaped locket and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh, Troy, it's beautiful," she whispered. She unhooked the tiny latch and opened the locket, revealing a tiny picture of Troy and a small inscription that read, '_I'll always be right here, close to your heart. TAB._' "It's just perfect," she added. She held it out to him. "Would you be so kind as to put it on for me?" she asked innocently. He smirked and took the locket as she held her hair away from her neck. His warm fingers brushed along the soft, supple skin there as he latched the chain around it and she shivered in response. She turned in his arms and faced him, her lips meeting his in a soft kiss. "Do you think we could have some privacy?" she asked, glancing toward the door. He nodded and picked her up, heading out into the darkness toward the stables.

Once they were inside, he lit one of the lamps and carried it to one of the stalls. He waited patiently as Gabriella stripped down to her nightgown, which she had slipped on when Lyla had been fiddling with the hem of her dress. "Troy," she said shyly.

He turned and took her in with his eyes. "You're beautiful," he said. A blush crept up her cheeks, and he smiled as he laid her back into one of the piles of hay in the stall. He kissed her neck hungrily as he finished undressing her, watching timidly as she unbuttoned his shirt. "May I have permission to make love with you, Miss Gabriella?" he asked huskily.

She nodded, and his hands roamed to her hips, lightly tickling them with his fingers. She captured his lips with her own and pulled him closer to her. "Please, Troy. And don't waste any time," she begged. She knew this kind of behavior was considered unacceptable in her father's eyes, but her love for Troy overruled her good judgment at that moment in time. He placed soft kisses along her jaw and down towards her neck before moving his lips to the valley of her breasts. He placed a kiss there and then moved back up to kiss her lips as he removed his pants. Her legs wrapped around him tightly as he he slowly pushed into her, and she moaned against his neck, where she had rested her face. He picked up his pace little by little, not wanting to hurt her in any way, shape or form. "I love you," she panted, her fingers lacing through his hair. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Gabriella," he replied as he continued to make love to her. Soon they were lying side by side in the hay, breathing heavily as they tried to regain their normal heart rates. He kissed her softly and brushed her hair away from her face so that he could look at her. Her beautiful angelic face, glowing in the light from the lamp. The beautiful face that, although loved him, could never be his. He sighed as he saw a tear fall gracefully from one of her eyes. It was evident that she'd been thinking the same about him. There was nothing he could do now but comfort her, and try to make her understand why they couldn't be together publicly. Her father would probably have him killed if he found out through the grapevine that his horse keeper was secretly sleeping with his daughter. He kissed away the tear and whispered the only words he could find.

"How I wish you were mine, Gabriella, how I wish you were mine."

* * *

What do you think? Yay or nay? Please don't be too harsh, I have sensitive feelings. However, do tell me if you think I should continue writing or not. Thank you for reading! (:


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for your reviews guys! I'm going to work on making the M-scenes more M. ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_Chapter Two: Take It to the Grave_

The light from the sun lured Gabriella to consciousness the next morning. Her eyes fluttered open. She could feel Troy's warm breath on her neck, and she nuzzled her face against his chest. She wanted nothing more than to be able to go back to sleep, to be able to dream of the life she wanted to live- a life where she could be with Troy, where their love would no longer be a secret and everyone would accept them as a couple. She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut tightly, hoping against the odds that it would bring sleep. At the exact moment that her eyes closed, however, she felt Troy's lips brush against the tip of her nose. Sighing lightly, she opened her eyes. When she saw his face, she couldn't help but smile. "Good morning, Troy," she murmured softly.

"Good morning, Princess," Troy replied gruffly, his voice not yet accustomed to the morning. "Did you sleep well?"

"I always sleep well when I'm with you." Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight that seeped through the cracks of the stable walls. "And you? How did you sleep?"

"The same as you. I had a wonderful dream, about a beautiful girl. She was everything I've ever wanted in a woman and more. Guess what her name was."

Gabriella giggled. "Hmm, was it...Margaret?"

Troy looked taken aback for a moment. He hadn't expected her to feign ignorance so early in the day. He recovered and grinned. "Nope. It starts with the letter G."

"Gertrude? Guinevere? Giovanna? Grace?" Her smile grew with each name she proposed.

"Actually," he interrupted. "Her name was Gabriella. You look a lot like her, you know."

Gabriella's melodic laugh pealed through the air. "That's because my name is Gabriella, and I'm almost a hundred percent sure that you dreamt of me."

"There's no fooling the Princess," he added, laughing along with her.

"Oh, Troy, you really should know by now that there's no fooling me."

"Trust me, I do know. I just like fooling around with you."

Her smile brightened as he spoke. "I like fooling around with you, too," she said, kissing his chin softly. "In more ways than one."

He chuckled as he began kissing her neck. "I guess you could take that in more than one way." He let his hands brush against the skin of her shoulders as he moved up to capture her lips. His fingers made rings with his thumbs around her arms and he slid them down her arms. When he reached her fingers, he laced them in his. "I love you, Gabriella."

"I love you, too."

"I should probably get to taking care of the horses," he said with longing in his voice. He wished he could stay all day lying in the hay with her, but he knew better than to act upon his wishes. They only ended in disappointment, after all. He knew that if they stayed any longer that they would most likely get caught. And he couldn't afford to lose his job, or lose his life for that matter.

"Yeah, you should," she said quietly. "I wish you didn't. But you do." Her eyes lit up after a moment. "Could I feed the horses this morning? And help you to brush them? Please?"

Troy knew how much Gabriella loved the horses. He was the one who'd caught her helping Eloisa give birth to a stillborn foal. And she'd comforted the poor mare when she'd discovered that her baby was dead. But he also knew that she was a princess, and that princesses should refrain from any activity that could put them in danger. He sighed. "You have to promise me that you'll be careful," he warned.

"Oh, I will, Troy, I will," she exclaimed excitedly. "Thank you, thank you so much." She stood up, fully naked, in the hay. She quickly found her dress and slipped into it as Troy did the same with his clothing.

"Hurry, Gabriella, they'll be looking for you soon."

"I'm ready," Gabriella said breathlessly. "Shall we feed them or brush them first?"

"Let's brush them," he replied. "Since they've just been fed mid-afternoon yesterday."

"Okay." She reached for one of the smaller brushes and took it to Eloisa's stall. "Good morning, girl," she greeted the horse. "How are you today?" Eloisa neighed softly and rubbed her nose against Gabriella's hair. Gabriella giggled. "I'm very glad," she said. "I'm going to brush your mane now. Don't get very angry, promise?" Eloisa's head bobbed up and then down in one swift movement, and Gabriella began to brush her. "You have the most beautiful coat, do you know that?" she cooed.

Troy, who was watching Gabriella as he brushed one of the other horses, smiled. Not only was she gorgeous, but she loved doing what he did, not because it was her job, but because it was her passion. There was nothing more beautiful to him than watching the love of his life doing his one of his favorite things things in the world. As he straightened out his thoughts, he became aware of the scene unfolding in front of him. Gabriella had stopped brushing Eloisa, her brush had dropped to the floor. Now her full head of chocolate brown curls turned immediately toward the main entrance to the stable. "Gabriella," Troy whispered worriedly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Shh," she replied, her voice shaking. "Did you hear something?" Her voice lowered to a whisper, and her eyes became alarmed. She concentrated on the noise she'd heard. "Footsteps. Someone's coming."

Before Troy had a chance to respond, the two heard a familiar voice. "Miss Gabriella! Miss Gabriella? Hello?" It was Lyla. Gabriella's breath caught in her throat, and she looked around for somewhere where she could hide until her friend and servant had disappeared. But there was no where for her to hide. She would just have to face the music. "Oh, Miss Gabriella, there you are," Lyla's voice had grown closer, and she now came into their view. "Everyone's worried sick about you. Your father is suspecting that you'd been kidnapped." She was talking a million miles per minute, and reality finally registered in her mind. "Why are you in the horses' stable?" Her eyes fluttered to the floor, and she saw the brush that Gabriella had been using, and up to meet Troy's gaze.

"Lyla, we shouldn't discuss this matter here. We will discuss it after breakfast, in my room." Gabriella's eyes met Troy's for one moment, and she knew from the look on his face that what had just happened must be fixed. She had to try to win Lyla over, and if she couldn't, which she must, Troy was in danger. "Please, Lyla, as my friend, you mustn't mention this to anyone. At least...not until after I've had the chance to explain."

Lyla only nodded and turned toward the entrance. Gabriella followed her quickly, glancing one last time back at Troy and smiling encouragingly at him. She could fix this. She knew she could. She only had to think of a plan to do so, and she could think of her plan during breakfast that morning.

* * *

Later that morning, when Lyla had accompanied Gabriella to her room and the door was shut, Gabriella knew it was time to win her friend over. She sighed and turned to Lyla. "Lyla, I know what you saw earlier."

Lyla interrupted her with an accusation. "You were grooming that dirty horse!" she exclaimed.

"Shh, Lyla, please. Listen to me. Won't you listen to me? Please, Lyla?" Gabriella's pleading brown eyes were hard to resist.

"Why?" Lyla asked softly. "Why were you even in the stable in the first place? The only person who's ever in the stable is that Troy Bolton, your father's horse keeper, and...no," she gasped. "Were you speaking with him, Gabriella?"

"Lyla...I'm going to tell you something...something that no one else knows. But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone else. Not even Edward." Edward was Lyla's twin brother. "You mustn't tell, or it would ruin our friendship. And it would ruin a lot of other things for me, too. Do you promise?"

After a long moment of silence, Lyla nodded. "I promise, Miss Gabriella. I'm ever so sorry that I raised my voice to you. I will take whatever punishment you choose in earnest, I deserve it."

"Lyla, I'm not going to punish you." Gabriella's face softened and she smiled weakly at the girl that stood before her. "Try not to say anything until I'm finished speaking, please," she plead. When Lyla nodded, she began her story. "I met Troy three years ago, before my father had announced my engagement to Callum. He had caught me helping Eloisa give birth. We'd become friends quickly, and before I knew what was happening, I had fallen in love with him. And he had fallen in love with me." Her eyes had wandered to the floor, and her fingers were clasped tightly around the locket that hung loosely from her neck. She heard Lyla's low gasp, but continued on. "When my father announced that I was to be wed to someone other than Troy, I became enraged. I wanted nothing more than to disgrace him and refuse to marry Callum. But with my being the only heir to the Montez throne, as you know very well, I couldn't refuse it. I have to marry to become Queen, and I must marry the man of my father's choice." She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. "But I wish I could marry the man that I love. I love Troy, Lyla, I will always love him." By now, the tears were flowing down her cheeks.

Lyla couldn't speak at first; she was in shock. But finally she said, "May I speak now?" Gabriella only nodded. "I promise, Miss Gabriella, that your secret will not reach beyond the walls of this room."

Gabriella cheered up a little at this revelation. "Honestly?" she asked.

Lyla nodded. "I will take it to the grave. It is the least I can do for being so rude to you before."

Gabriella squealed with delight and grasped Lyla in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Lyla, I owe you a favor in return. But first I must sneak out to inform Troy that there is no need for him to worry. I shall return shortly."

Lyla smiled. "I'll cover for you if someone comes for you."

"Thank you, again, Lyla." With those words, Gabriella fluttered out of the room, en route to deliver the good news to her beau. Their secret was still safe. And hopefully, she thought to herself, it always would be.

* * *

Okay, that definitely is not the greatest thing I've ever written, but it's taken me well over two hours, and it's midnight now, so I hope it still entertained you a bit. I'm sorry for such a long wait, but I haven't been able to be on my laptop much in the past few weeks. The next chapter, hopefully, will be posted sooner than this one. :) Thank you for reading. I love you guys.


End file.
